Apparatus and method of cleaning tanks containing fluid



Oct. 23, 1934. P. M. ERDMAN 1,978,015

APPARATUS AND METHOD OF CLEANING TANKS CONTAINNG FLUID Filed June 30,1930 11111''lll r 1111111114 l u anni! M ATTORN EY Patented ct. 23, 1934UNrrlazo,STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS AND METHOD OF CLEANING TANKSCONTAINING FLUID` Q i Peter M. Erdman, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application June 30, 1930, Serial No. 464,993

` 9 claims. (c1. 210;-209) My present invention relates to tank cleaningdevices, and more particularly -to` devices for cleaning oil tanks andto a method of cleaning the same. i i The objects-of my invention are:first, to provide a tank cleaning device for tanks whereby the sedimentor other foreign matter may be removed from the bottom of ythe tankwithout the necessity of emptying'the same; second, to

llprovide a tank cleaning device whereby the entire area on the bottomof the tank is cleaned at one time; third, to provide a tank cleaningdevice whereby the sediment may be removed or loosened from the bottomof the tank and placed T-n suspension before removing the same; fourth,to provide a ltank cleaning device whereby a cleaning liquid may.beforced over the bottom of the tank for loosening the sediment andwashing the tank andthen removing the liquid and '20..sedimenttherefrom; fifth, to provide a tank cleaning device whereby `acircularmotion of the sediment is caused, thereby placing the same in suspensionbefore its removal;` sixth, to provide a tank cleaning device whichmaybe readily installed, one which is simple and' economical ofconstruction, durable, and which will not readily deteriorate or get'out of order; and, seventh, to provide a novel` method of cleaningtanks.

With these and other objects inv View aswill `appear hereinafter, myinvention consists of a certain novel method of Vand of `certain novellfeatures of construction, combination and arrangement of parts andportions, as will be hereinafter described in detail and. particularlyset l forth in the appended claims, Areference being Fig. Zlis a planview of my Idevice positioned ina i tank for use, showingdiagrammatically the suction pumpand asupply pipe for cleaning iluid;

and Fig. 3 is a sectional view of one ofthenozzles and suction pipestaken at 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Like characters of reference refer to similar parts and portionsthroughoutthe views of thev drawing. o 50.` My tank cleaning deviceconsists in one form essentially of a central head or manifold 1 hav`ing a number of pipes 2 extending radially therefrom, supports 3 forsupporting the pipes, and an elbow 4 connecting the head 1 through thetank 5 to a discharge pipe 6.

The head or manifold 1, in this instance, is supported on the bottom andin the center of the tank 5 by means of a flange 1a. The head 1 isprovided with a large central opening 1b into which the pipes 2discharge. To facilitatethe securing of the pipes 2 to the head 1, thehead 1 is provided with a number of flat sides to which flanges of thepipes 2 are secured and supported at their inner ends. Said pipes extendsubstantially radially outwardly therefrom, as shown best in Fig. 2. Thepipes 2 are supported on the bottom of the tank at their outer ends bythe supports 3, consisting of cross members provided' at the ends withdownwardly extending legs which rest on the bottom of the tank.Extending outwardly and downwardlyfrom the pipes 2are` smaller orsecondary pipes 2a. These pipes are flattened longitudinally at theirouter ends to form nozzles 2b. The pipes 2 are bent at their ends atsubstantially right angles toward'the.. side from which the pipes 2apro-ject and are also iiattened longitudinally forming nozzles 2c'.` Allof the pipes 2a project at an anglefrom their respective mainV pipes andwith the nozzles 2b directed to cause circular motion of the liquid inthe tank. Thus, Ywhen suction is applied to the pipes, or `when fluid isforced out of the nozzles, the liquid at the bottom of the tank is madeto circulate in the tank.

The liquid from the head 1 is discharged through an opening 5a, in thebottomrof the tank over which the iiange 1a of the head 1 is secured,and out through the pipe 6 which is connected with the opening 5a bymeans of the elbow 4. The pipe 6 is connected to a T 7 which is in turnconnected to valves 8 and 9, the valve 8 being connected toaJ suctionpumpv 10 and the valve 9 to a liquid or steam supply pipe 11.. 'Theliquid contained in the tank, that is to be withdrawn for use, iswithdrawn through the pipe 12 which is positioned above the `pipes 2 andat the side ofthe tank 5.

Many fluids stored in tanks contain a great deal `of foreign matter thatremains in suspen-` sion asjlong as the iiuid is agitated, but settlesto the bottom of the tank in the form of sediment or scum when theliquid is allowed to remain at rest. With my device it is possible toremove such settledr sediment or scum and other foreign matter from thebottom of the tank and then wash the bottom of the tank without removingany material part of the liquid contained therein.

When it is desired to clean the bottom of the tank the valve 8 is openedand the suction pump 10 started. Because the pipes 2a all extend in acircular direction the liquid will be made to circulate about the bottomof the tank in a clockwise direction, when the pipes are arranged asshown. This circulation of the liquid agitates the sediment on thebottom of the tank and causes it to become loosened and suspended in thecirculating liquid and consequently drawn out of the tank by means ofthe pump 10. After the larger part of the sediment is removed, the valve8 is closed and the valve 9 opened allowing steam, water or othercleaning fluid to be forced into the tank through the nozzles 2b and 2c.In the. case of oil tanks, steam is used since the heat of the steamdissolves and loosens the gummy oilA more easily than would a liquid.This fluid will circulate in a counterclockwise direction or a directionopposite to that when being Withdrawn. When the steam or other cleaninguid has loosened the dirt and sediment and caused the same to becomesuspended, the valve 9 is closed and the valve 8 again opened, and thecleaning fiuidthuswithdrawn, removing any sediment or foreign matterwith it. This process is repeated asl many times as necessary tothoroughly clean the tank of sediment or other foreign matter.

Though I have shown and described a particular construction, combinationand arrangementof lparts' and portions of my apparatus and certainstepsof my method of cleaning tanks, I do not wish to be limited to thisparticular construction, combination and arrangement of parts andportions, nor to the particular method, but desire to include in thescope of my invention the construction, combination and arrangement ofelements and the method substantially as set forth in the appendedclaims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1'. In a tank cleaning device, the combination I with attank', of amanifold positioned at the botpipe.

2. In atank cleaning device, the combination with a tank, of a manifoldpositioned at the bottom'Y of the tank, said manifold having amultiplicit'yof pipes extending substantially radially therefrom, saidpipes having a multiplicity of "openings, all of said openings openingin substantially the same general direction with respect tothe side Wallof said tank, a discharge pipe connected to the manifold and providedwith H,valvemeans for connecting the same to either Ya suction pump or afluid supply pipe.

3. In a tank cleaning device, the combination with a tank, of nozzlesarranged at the bottom thereof to cause a circular movement of liquid at'i the bottom of the tank by fluid discharged from "the nozzles or fluidentering the same, suction then forcing a cleaning fluid into the bottomof the tank, thereby loosening the remaining sediment from the bottom ofthe tank, and then removing said cleaning fluid and sediment insuspension therein.

5. The herein described method of cleaning tanks containing fluid andhaving sediment on the bottom of the tank, consisting in causing acircular motion of the sediment by forcing a cleaning uid into thebottom of the tank, the circular motion agitating sediment and placingthe same in suspension, then reversing the direction of circulation byremoving the fluid containing the suspended sediment.

6. The herein described method of cleaning oil and similar tankscontaining a liquid and having gummy sediment at the bottom of the tank,consisting in forcing steam in a circular direction into thebottomportion of the tank for heating and loosening the gummy sediment andcausing the same to swirl and to be placed in suspension, and thenreversing the direction of circulation of the liquid at the bottom ofthe tank and the sediment in suspension therein by removing the portionof the liquid containing the suspended sediment.

7. The herein described method of cleaning oil and similar tankscontaining a liquid and having gummy sediment at the bottom of the tank,consisting in forcing steam in a circular direction into the bottomportion of the tank for heating and loosening the gummy sediment andcausing the same t-o swirl and to be placed in suspension, and. thenremoving the condensed steam and sediment by. suction.

8. In a tank cleaning device, the combination with a tank, of nozzlesarranged at the bottom thereof to cause a circular movement of liquid atthe bottom of the tank by uid discharged from the nozzle, dischargemeans connected to the` nozzles, cleaning fluid supply means connectedto the nozzles, and valves for controlling the flow of the contents ofthe tank to the discharge means, and from the supply means to the ank.

9. The method of cleaning -oil and similar tanks containing a liquidandhaving gummy sediment at thebottom ofthe tank, consisting in forcingsteam in a circular direction into the bottom portion of the tank forheaing and loosening the gummy sediment. and causing the same to swirland be placed in suspension, and then removing the condensed .steam andsediment.

- PETER M. ERDMAN.

